{"id":5201,"date":"2016-03-06T05:00:42","date_gmt":"2016-03-06T10:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=5201"},"modified":"2016-03-05T20:18:34","modified_gmt":"2016-03-06T01:18:34","slug":"new-england-patriots-news-3-6-afc-east-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2016\/03\/06\/new-england-patriots-news-3-6-afc-east-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"New England Patriots News 3-6 and AFC East Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, here are Sunday\u2019s Patriots news notes<\/strong> and what\u2019s happening around the division.<\/p>\n

Brady\/Pats Extend Contract to 2019: <\/strong>Sources told ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter and Diana Russini that the Patriots will extend QB Tom Brady\u2019s contract thru the 2019 season. Brady was signed through the 2017 season and was set to make $10 million in 2017 and $9 million this year. His salary cap hit of $15 million will most certainly come down now as a result.<\/p>\n

With the extension and if Brady plays the entire length of his contract, Brady will be 42-years old and will have spent at least 20 years with one team, becoming one of only three players to do so. He\u2019ll join Jackie Slater and Darrell Green as the only players to do that.<\/p>\n

The contract isn\u2019t signed yet, but it is expected to save the team between $2-3 million dollars against this season\u2019s cap which is important because the team is looking to extend defensive stars Dont\u2019a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Malcolm Butler and Chandler Jones to long-term deals to keep them in New England for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

Backup QB Jimmy Garappolo is signed thru the 2017 season.<\/p>\n

Brady Court Hearing Takes a Bad Turn:<\/strong> In the latest court news fallout from the Deflategate fiasco, the NFL\u2019s case seemingly looks stronger again as at least two of the three judges in the appeals case on the surface appeared to take the NFL\u2019s side in their questioning.<\/p>\n

Judge Barrington Daniels Parker brought up the issue of Brady\u2019s cell phone and said that Brady\u2019s explanation that he routinely destroys his cellphones when replacing them to protect his privacy, \u201cmade no sense whatsoever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judge Denny Chin even commented on the shoddy science used in the Wells Report pointed to a conspiracy, calling the NFL\u2019s evidence of ball tampering, \u201ccompelling if not overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their decision isn\u2019t expected to be handed down for several months but most onlookers in the court expect the league\u2019s suspension to be reapplied.<\/p>\n

Patriots Begin Roster Trimming<\/strong>: The team this week cut WR Brandon LaFell, \u00a0TE Scott Chandler and LB Darius Fleming as well as telling RFAs WR Brian Tyms and DT Sealver Siliga that they won\u2019t be offered new deals, effectively ending their time in New England.<\/p>\n

LaFell was only a year removed from a combined regular season and playoff run from a 1000-yard year. But offseason foot surgery held him out of all of spring and summer workouts. Once he did return, he struggled badly and ended up with only 37 catches and zero touchdowns in 2015. Chandler too struggled badly last year and finished with just 23 catches. His knee issues bothered him all down the stretch and he failed his physical. Fleming was a backup linebacker who played sparingly in the absence of both Hightower and Collins.<\/p>\n

Both Tyms and Siliga were depth personnel and on the surface, their departure, as well as Fleming is a bit surprising as they won\u2019t get a chance to win a spot at training camp. But since they don\u2019t fit into the Patriots plans, the decision to release them now both frees up some cash and allows them a chance to latch on with another team quickly.<\/p>\n

Free Agency Peek:<\/strong> With the honeymooning phase of free agency beginning on Monday, the Patriots aren\u2019t flush with cash so don\u2019t expect them to be making a flurry of big moves once it starts. The most pressing needs for the team remain:<\/p>\n